People may think that plastic straws are harmless; it’s just plastic, right? Well, that’s false. Plastic straws are one of the causes of pollution in the ocean. These straws are easily adding up as we use about 500 million straws every day. According to an article by National Park Service, 500 million straws would fill over 125 school buses with straws every day. That’s equivalent to 46,400 school buses every year.

Plastic straws are also one of the top ten objects that are picked up on beach clean-ups. According to a National Geographic article by Laura Parker, “Straws are the latest on an expanding list of individual plastic products being banned, taxed, or boycotted in an effort to curb seaborn plastic trash one study.” Plastic, in general, is harming our environment. A big percentage of the plastic straws end up in the ocean which harms marine life. In 2015, a video of a sea turtle with a straw inside its nose went viral. People realized that something should be done about plastic straws.

On September 18, 2018, Jerry Brown, the Governor of California signed a bill banning restaurants from handing out plastic straws to customers unless they request for one. California is the first state to take action. The new law does not apply to convenience stores or fast food restaurants. According to CNN, “…plastic pollution kills thousands of marine animals every year. Researchers found 80 plastic bags in the stomach of a dead pilot whale that washed ashore in Thailand.” If restaurants violate the law they will receive two warnings but after that, those businesses will face fines. A Caribbean island called Dominica, a Caribbean island, is also taking action starting in January 2019. The government will ban more than just plastic straws; styrofoam and other plastic utensils on on the list. Seattle is also part of the growing plastic ban movement.

Banning plastic straws would not be a bad thing. There are alternatives. Metal, bamboo, paper, glass, and silicone straws are available and won’t do as much harm to the environment. There’s a straw called ‘harvest straw’ which is made up of a grain. These straws can be found on http://www.harveststraws.com. The purpose is to provide a better option and create straws that won’t pollute the environment. In fact, their straws will enhance the environment.

Even though places around the world are taking steps for a better environment; we have to do more than just banning plastic straws. It will minimize the damage that plastic is causing but it will not solve everything. There are more than just plastic straws floating around the ocean. For now, whenever you go to a restaurant, or a coffee shop think about where that plastic straw will end up. It’s better to have an alternative; let’s avoid using plastic straws.